The María Cano University Foundation received in the city of Neiva the «Orden Cacique Timanco» award, which is the highest award given by the corporation to personalities and institutions characterized by their solidarity, civic and social service work for the community of this outstanding department of Colombia, where the Institution has been accompanying citizens for 26 years, contributing to the training of professionals who consolidate progress, development, and economic and social growth, through face-to-face Physiotherapy and Speech Therapy programs, the virtual programs of Business Administration and Public Accounting, as well as specializations in Health Services Administration, Senior Management, Comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Occupational Health Management.

The Honorable Departmental Assembly of Huila stands out in the recognition, delivered to the rector Hugo Alberto Valencia Porras, that the social projection in María Cano seeks to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life and the sustainable development of its interest groups articulated with the institutional capacities teaching, research and management. With presence in the social environment, through actions of articulation and interaction with the community that contribute to the transformation of the community and its inhabitants, as well as democratization and social equity at the local, regional and national levels. Taking into account the objectives of sustainable development in the health and well-being dimension, the public ten-year plan and in line with the municipal development plan 2020-2023 «Territory of life and peace, citizen mandate».

In the last 6 years, there have been more than 5,406 beneficiaries in the metropolitan area of ​​Neiva, Huila, in communes 1, 4, 5, 6, 9 and in commune 3, this being the area of ​​main influence due to the location of the venue and the impact of our academic and continuing education programs on different population groups. Through community, clinical, sports and labor practices, institutions providing health services, sports and recreation institutes, educational institutions, higher education institutions, the hydrocarbon sector, the government sector and the business sector have been approached, with the development of projects and programs, health days, brigades aimed at responding to the needs of the life course from early childhood, adolescence, adulthood, the elderly and old age with psychoprophylaxis programs for pregnant mothers, stimulation, fundamental patterns of movement for infancy and early childhood, a pink clinic for cancer patients, a support group for zika children, a street dweller, an older adult program in commune 3, among others that allow the transformation of communities and contexts where María Cano is present.

In the same way, it is highlighted that 74% of the university population belongs to the female gender and 91% of the total number of students is from strata 1, 2 and 3, which confirms the consistency with the institutional principles of respect, equity, excellence. , leadership, transparency and responsibility. During the last year, María Cano attended, through 297 practice scenarios, 45,910 people from the most vulnerable strata of society, in the four cities where the Institution is present.

The Institution ratifies its social commitment to continue contributing to the welfare, growth and development of the community in the department of Huila and in the different regions in which it is present throughout 35 years of academic and administrative life.

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